SAVANNAH, Ga. (Tribune News Service) — More than 200 high school students from southeast Georgia are getting the chance to improve their leadership skills this week during Hunter Army Airfield's Junior Cadet Leadership Challenge Summer Camp.

The military installation is playing host to 210 cadets and 40 instructors during the program.

"The great working relationship that we have with Hunter Army Airfield allows us to put these kids in a variety of training environments that really does test their leadership skills," said Lt. Col. Michael Busteed, Sr. Army instructor at Windsor Forest High School.

"We want to try to provide a challenging and unfamiliar environment for these kids to come in and learn about leadership and having confidence in themselves," he said.

Before noon Tuesday, cadets were rappelling down a 50-foot wall, putting into practice all the principles that they learned.

And for some overcoming mental challenges is the hardest part of the program.

"The JROTC JCLC experience has been great," said Larry Manning, a rising sophomore at Richmond Hill High School. "I learned a lot about motivation and dedication. I gained a lot of confidence by coming down the rappelling wall...That was the the event that I was most looking forward to because I have a fear of heights. Just to accomplish it was a great feeling."

And some students like Aleeha Norman saw the program as a precursor to a future military career.

"It's been a wonderful opportunity, and I've learned a lot of new things," said the rising senior at Wayne County High School. "It teaches you a lot of good leadership skills. The program was new to our school so I thought I would try it. I want to go into the Air Force. This (experience) hasn't changed my decision It's motivated me further to join."

Students also participated in land navigation practice.

"We teach them that they can be put in the woods and with a few tools, a compass and a little bit of knowledge their able to precisely navigate from one point to another without getting lost," Busteed said.